Is “Zoom® Fatigue” a Symptom of the Corona Virus?

Over the last eight weeks, the COVID-19 pandemic has introduced a lot of stress into our lives. 66% of the American workforce is learning how to be productive remote workers. Children are now remote learners, and parents are becoming at-home teachers. Restaurants are closed and we are cooking meals at volumes we’ve not experienced before. Trips to the grocery store are scavenger hunts as we seek out toilet paper, disinfectants, and hand sanitizer. The practice of “social-distancing” with our family and friends has intruded upon holiday gatherings, birthdays, weddings, funerals, and the experience of welcoming new babies into the world. And now psychologists are telling us that many people are suffering from a new mental malady they have termed “Zoom® Fatigue.” (Just like Kleenex® is generally used for any brand of tissues, Zoom® has become the blanket term for all video-conferencing platforms.)

“Zoom® Fatigue” was first mentioned in articles and news stories as early as April 20th – just one month after most states put “in-shelter” restrictions into place. It appears that this new method of meeting with business associates and customers or visiting with family and friends is the “straw that broke our mental camel’s back.”

This caused me to ask, “What are the root causes of Zoom® Fatigue?” In addition to being exposed to an extraordinarily high level of visual stimuli there are other factors that create a mental overload and additional stress when it comes to business meetings in this pandemic.

On paper, Zoom® – like all technology – is designed to be user-friendly. But as with all technology Murphy’s Law comes into play; If anything can go wrong, it definitely will – and usually at the worst possible moment. At first, many people were unfamiliar with their designated vide0-conferencing platforms and functionality. Unlike being in the office, “Simon from IT” can’t run in and fix our problem. Therefore, each person has had to learn how to use video conferencing applications.

· How do I turn on my camera? (OMG is that what I look like?)

· How do I mute my microphone? (Whose dog is barking? Was that a toilet flushing?)

· How to I share my screen? (Oops, I didn’t mean to share my Facebook page?)

· How does this chat function work? (Sorry, I didn’t mean to send that message to everyone!)

We feel more comfortable using our video-conferencing platforms now. However, the stress of fluctuating home WiFi bandwidth causes the possibility of technical problems to be front and center in our minds with every meeting we attend or conduct. (Joanne, can you sign out and then back in again? Your screen keeps freezing and your audio keeps cutting in and out.)

It’s natural for people not to like how they look on camera. For many, before they sign-in they have to take the extra time to:

· Guarantee their hair falls perfectly (I can’t wait for the hair salon to open again!);

· Apply extra make-up to eliminate the bags under the eyes (That reminds me, I need to buy more cucumbers next time);

· Situate the camera level so neck and chin(s) aren’t exaggerated (Add plastic surgery to my post-pandemic list of things to do); and

· Arrange the lighting on and around our desks to get the best shadows (It may be best for all if I just sit in the dark.)

Trust me these concerns are not gender-specific! We all prepare for meetings now as if we are TV news anchors getting ready to go on air.

This is the first-time co-workers and customers were coming into our homes. So, as if preparing for a party each meeting requires cleaning up – or at least for the area directly behind us. Some things I have noticed during the videoconferences I have been on are;

· People own a ton of books. (Dude, 1970 called, it wants its set of encyclopedias back.)

· Pictures are geometrically arranged and hung straight. (Are those her kids?)

· Everyone’s kitchen is cleaner than mine and their counters aren’t cluttered. (Where is his coffee pot?)

· Windows are clean and drapes are parted uniformly. (Who irons their drapes?)

· People own a lot more plants than I do!

It turns out there is a lot more that goes into a videoconference. It’s not as easy as just clicking on a link and joining the meeting. Apparently, all the preparation that has to be done for every meeting has created additional stress which has resulted in a Corona-induced “Zoom® Fatigue.”

Wasn’t it great when we just walked into a conference room?

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Lou Quinto has been working with companies and their associates internationally for over the past 30 years primarily in the area of critical thinking, leadership, and communication skills. You can watch or listen to Lou discuss leadership and management issues as the co-host of the weekly video blog and podcast “Q&A on Breakthrough Leadership.” He is a Master Coach and Keynote Speaker for Action Management Associates in Plano, TX, and a Senior Consultant on the Leadership and Organizational Effectiveness team for Executive Development Associates in Oklahoma City, OK. He also delivers leadership programs for Bonfire Training in Indianapolis, IN. Contact Lou at lou@louquinto.com or through his website.